Wöhler, Friedrich (1800–1882)

German chemist and student of Berzelius
who, in 1828, synthesized urea by evaporating
a solution of ammonium isocyanate and thereby demonstrated that there is
no sharp distinction between organic and
inorganic matter. Although this did not
put an end to belief in vitalism, it showed
that some organic substances, at least, could be produced independently
of living organisms.

In 1858, Wöhler became one of the first scientists to identify organic
matter in meteorites (the first of all having been Berzelius in 1834).
The fact that he (erroneously) concluded without hesitation that the organics
were biological in origin reflects the strength of preconceived notions
about extraterrestrial life at this time.